Automatic alarm-valve



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I 4a v 47 5 Patented Oct. 26, 1920 UNITED SITES EDMUND A. CAI-IILL, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC ALARM-VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

Application 1ed` May 9, 1917. Serial No. 167,583.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND A. CAHLLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and .State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Alarm-Valves; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suchv as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part Y of this specification.

My invention relates to automatic alarm valves, and has for its principal object to provide a valve of this character, particularly adapted for use in pipe lines between a water supply head and distributing mainsV and comprising means whereby should the valve gate be moved from a normal open position, connection would be made to close a circuit through an electrically operated alarm to sound a warning that such a valve movement had been made.

Valves of this character are of particular value in the supply main of certain lire prevention and control systems used eXtensively in large store buildings and Warehouses. A system commonly employed con* sists in suspending water distributing pipes from the building ceilings, these pipes being supplied by mains which, in turn, are connected by risers with a common source of water supply; the ydistributing pipes being provided at' spaced intervals along their lengths with sprinkler or spray heads, whereby should a lire occur, water admitted into the pipes from the main may be sprayed over the contents of the rooms.

In systems of this character` while such valves are necessary in order that the supply may be cut off from the mains should it be desired to make connections with or repair the latter, it is very essential, aI 1d is a requirement of most insurance writing companies, that they be retained normally entirely open' so that, should a fire occur, water will befinstantlv available when control valves vof the distributing pipesV are opened.v v

It is, therefore, the object of the invention to lprovide a valve of this character that, when in open position. will maintain anv open circuit through an electrically operated Valarm device but should one unauthorized close, or even partially close, the valve gate a circuit will be closed through the ent invention, I havev provided vimproved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings: wherein e Figure I is a sectional view of a valve embodying the present invention', showing the valvev gate in closedv position and the alarm control valve open. l

Fig. II is an enlarged view of a portion of the valve housing showing the alarm control valve in closed position.k v

Fig. III is a diagrammatic view illustrating the electrical connection ofthe alarm device and the circuit contact points. Referring more in detailr to the drawings v v 1 l designates a valve housing which is 'adapted for inter-position in a supply pipe ,leading kfrom a source of water supply to sov distributing conduits and which is provided a at its opposite ends with flanges 2 3 where'- by connection maybe made to the respective supply pipe sections 4 and 5. V

Interposed in the channel 6 through thc housing,l are spaced inwardly facing valve seats 7-8, which are disposed obliquely-to each other to cooperatively receive a wedge Ashaped valve gate9 'when' the latter is in valve.

The gate 9 is disposed in a plane perpenclosedposition, to 'shut' off flow through the dicular to axialv center of th'e housing'l and is adapted to movev from the housingv to open the channel 6 throughian outwardly opening channell() of a neck 11 formed integrally with the housing and into the inner chamber 14 of a'housing l5; the latter being closed at its outer end and provided at ,its inner end with a peripheral flange 1 6- for receiving bolts 17 whereby it maybe attached to a similar flange l18 at the open end of the neck 11.

Fixed in a boss 2O on the valve gate Sis a valve stemQl. which lsli'dably'extends to the exterior of the housing 15 through a'suitthereof, and at its outer end is threaded .able pacvkir'igbushingv 22 in the closed end' through a sleeve 25, which may be revolved on the stem by a hand wheel 26; the sleeve being revolubly anchored in the cross head 27 of a U-bracket 28, the legs of which are Vfixed by bolts 29 to the outer end of the housing 15, so that'by lrevolving the hand lwheel and sleeve fixed thereto the stem 21 will Vbe moved longitudinally to and from the housing to move the gate 9 from and toward closed position.

' Adjacent its closed Youter end the housing Q is divided by a partition 32, forming an end chamber 33, and threaded into the partition 'is a collar 34 through which the stem l211is adapted to move and which forms'an annular channel thereabout, whereby communication between the inner and outer chambers 14and 33 is provided.

At its inner endZ the collar 34 is provided with a valve seat 36 which is adapted to receive a tapered valve 37 on the stem 21 vat such a position that when'the valve gate is moved tol entirely openV position the valve .37 will coperate with the seat to close the closed diaphragm housing 43; the said hous-V ing Abeing of such'a character that water under pressure admitted thereto through the condu-its-40-41-42 by the opening of the channel will move Vflexible diaphragm 44 Vtherein to close a circuit between contact points 45 and 46 located respectively on the diaphragm and the housing cover 47 and to which circuitv wires 48-49 are vattached, that lead through va battery 50 and velectrically operated alarm 51 so that when theY circuit is closedv an audible warning is given which will continue to sound until the channel 35 is again closed by moving the valve'9 to its open position and the water drawn from the conduits leading tothe diaphragm 'housingg the latter being effected i' by opening a drain cock 52 at the lower end of the conduit 40, which is normally closed to ell'ectoperation of the diaphragm.

' ln order that the water may not be cut olf from the chamber 14, even though the valve gate 9 be moved to entirely closed position, IVv provide a channel 55 whichV opens at one end into the main passage of the valve housing and at its opposite end into the chamber 14 so that at no time except when-the gate is entirely open will communication between the diaphragm housing and housing 1 be cut off.

Y Assuming that the valve is so constructed Y it is apparent that with the same properly locatedin a supply main and with the gate then entirely open, the channel 35 will be closedV and, although the water from the mains ll the chamber 14, it cannot be admitted,L to the .diaphragm Ahousing to cause a contact ofthe points45-46 to 'close a circuit through the alarm, but should the valve gate be moved even slightly toward closed position the channel will be opened so that ywater may lill the chamber 33 and housing to cause a contact of the circuit closing parts' and the alarm sounded. Y

To set'the alarm parts,'aterthe valve has been closed and the diaphragm housingV filled with water, the valve stem 21 is moved by actuation ot the' hand wheel 26 to seat soV the valve 37 thereon within the valve seat 36 to close the'channel 35., The drain cock 52 is then opened to drain the conduits and permit a disconnection of the contact points 45--46 and the openingof the circuit.

It isvapparent that by providing a valve of this character, the supply main may be closed it desired as b y the usual valve mechanism by actuation o ftheva'lve wheel 26 and that the alarm may "be,y vprevented f from sounding continuously'by disconnection 'of one ci the circuit wires from the battery or y bell. c

With an alarm oi this character so constructed with the valve, it is 'apparentV that should any one tamper with orattempt-to close the valve, the alarm will sound a warning so that it maybe opened in readiness for any emergency.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure Iby Letters-Patent, is :---v

The combination with a water main, of a gate valve for closingsaid main and provided with a valve stem, a casing surrounding the stem1 of saidv valve having a valve seat,`a passageway'leading fromthe valve casing, a water actuated'alarm having a pipe in communicationwitlithe valve main on one side of the'valve seat tothe y stem casing beyondthe valve'seat therein,

and a valve on the stem adapted to be Vseated on said seat, the passageway Vbeing at all times in communication with the valve stem casing and admitting water to the pipe when the gatevalve is closed, the valve kon' the valve stem being effective in cutting oil communication between the main and the pipe when the gate valve isunseated. i

In testimony whereof aiiiX my signature.

`EDMUN D A, CAHILL.v 

